Old Friends II
by Wallyhorse
Summary: ADA Kelly Gaffney crossing over from the nowcancelled Trial by Jury is a witness to the shooting of the granddaughter of former DA Alfred Wentworth as potentially is Alexandra Borgia.
1. Kelly Gaffney witnesses a murder

Title: Old Friends II 

Disclaimers: This is strictly a fan fiction. The main "L & O" characters are owned by Dick Wolf, and are only borrowed for this story.

The opening of this was inspired by a nor'easter that hit the northeast on April 2, 2005, while the idea itself is not based on any particular story and also is NOT a sequel to "Old Friends", the finale of the 1993-'94 season that was the final episode for Michael Moriarity as Ben Stone.

The story opens during a nor'easter on what was a very rainy and windy early Saturday afternoon in early April that was seasonable otherwise (temperatures in the low 60s). Assistant District Attorney Kelly Gaffney is inside a public atrium of an office building at 53rd street and 3rd avenue that also is the entrance to the Lexington-3rd Avenue station for the "E" and "V" trains, about to head for an apartment building a couple of blocks north.

"I've been lucky so far, as the interviews with witnesses for the trial have been where I've not had to go outside since leaving the office", said Kelly on her cell phone talking to her supervisor, Chief ADA Tracy Kibre having not yet seen how bad it really was outside at this point.

"That's good. I assume the subways are OK?", asked Tracy.

"They are at least, thank good----", then said Kelly, her voice trailing off upon seeing the torrential downpour firsthand, then saying to herself with Tracy on the phone hearing it, "Oh Brother!"

"What's wrong?", asked Tracy.

"The rain!", then said Kelly as she walked to the exit.

"Coming down hard?", then asked Tracy.

"Lets just say if I'd worn slacks instead of a skirt, they'd be ruined.", then said Kelly while pulling off the knee-high, stiletto-heeled leather boots she was wearing (with a tweed, above the knee skirt suit under a heavy, knee-length raincoat) while still inside, though right at the door.

"It's that bad?", then asked Tracy.

"The streets are so flooded that I have to take my boots off and go barefoot just to meet with at his apartment on 56th and 3rd", then said Kelly, seeing it would have been impossible to get across either 53rd street or 3rd avenue without her boots becoming waterlogged.

"That water can't feel good as it isn't that warm. I'm sorry you're having to do all this on not only a Saturday, but in really awful weather", then said Tracy.

"Oh, don't be. If this helps put that creep away, it's worth it, though I admit, I forgot how bad the rain was supposed to be", then said Kelly, while sticking the boots in her backpack (which because of the weather and it being a Saturday she was using instead of a briefcase) seeing something suspicious catch her eye across the street from where she was: In this case, a woman seemingly running to the subway entrance on the other side to get out of the rain instead getting shot at by someone with a hooded windbreaker making it impossible to see who it was, running back towards Lexington Avenue immediately after shooting the woman, who fell to the bottom.

"Oh my god, someone across the street has a gun and is shooting someone else!", then yelled Kelly to Tracy on the phone, with the gunfire heard all the way across the street and the few people in the atrium screaming and running for cover, with Kelly then hanging up on Tracy and calling 911 before then calling Tracy back to let her know she was OK, with Tracy saying she would be up there as quickly as she could and Kelly saying to her she was going to go into the subway to see what happened.

"Two to the back", to Ed said a transit cop that happened to be there when the victim fell down the subway entrance steps, which were under the southwest corner of the station, with the cop asking Ed "How did you and your partner get here so quickly?"

"We actually were at the Off-Track Betting shop on 2nd avenue, where we went after having lunch", said Joe, referring to the one between 52nd and 53rd.

"I thought Aqueduct cancelled today because of the weather", then said the cop.

"They did, but there's Gulfstream down in Florida, where it's sunny and nice. Thing called simulcasting", then said Joe.

"Forgot about that", then said the cop, while Joe noticed whom he didn't realize was Kelly waving to him, with Joe and Ed coming over to talk to her.

"Kelly?", asked Joe upon recognizing her.

"Detective?", replied Kelly.

"You two know each other?", asked Ed.

"Worked on a couple of cases together last year before moving to the 2-7", replied Joe before asking Kelly, "What are you doing here? Did you see what happened?"

"I did up above, though it's probably not the best sightlines, especially given the rain", said Kelly to the Detectives before pausing and then continuing, "I've been intereviewing witnesses much of the morning and early afternoon on the case before the rain hit. I was about to head into that mess outside when I saw out of the corner of my eye what was I guess your victim running and then someone with some kind of a hood shooting her in the back. I would have to guess whoever did it was wearing a dark-green windbreaker of some kind, though I was too far away to get a good look."

"Understood Ms., ----", then said Ed.

"Gaffney, but most everyone calls me Kelly", said she, who then continued after taking a deep breath by saying, "Excuse my being barefoot, I had just taken my boots off so I could walk across the street as flooded as it is when the shooting happened because they otherwise would have been waterogged."

"You can say that again", said Joe as Tracy found Kelly in the station.

"You're all right, thank god!", said Tracy to Kelly upon seeing her.

"Yeah. My feet are a little wet, but otherwise I'm fine", replied Kelly, briefly looking down at her feet before looking at Tracy.

"And you are?", asked Tracy to Joe as he came over.

"Detective Fontana, and this is Detective Green", said Joe to Tracy, adding "I know Ms. Gaffney from a couple of cases before I joined the 2-7 last year."

"Oh yes, I remember", then said Tracy to Joe, who then added, "She was on the phone with me when this happened, saying how the street was flooded. I've never seen any rain storm like this", as the ladies then headed for the atrium with Joe and Ed.

"Name is Cyane Wentworth", said a uniformed officer who had caught up to Joe and Ed.

"Oh my god!", then said Tracy, turning around as she said it.

"What's wrong?", then asked Kelly.

"The victim is about 22 with blonde hair?", then asked Tracy to the uniformed Officer.

"Yes", then said the uniformed Officer.

"She's the granddaughter of Alfred Wentworth!", then said Tracy.

"The former DA?", then asked Joe.

"Yes, who first hired me for the DA's Office 21 years ago when I passed the bar. I've known his son Steve for a long time, and Cyane is his daughter", then said Tracy, wanting to walk back with Joe and Ed to where the body was, with Tracy in shock upon seeing it was in fact the granddaughter of the former DA.

"Who would do this to her? She was such a sweet girl", then said Tracy in a shocked tone, with the ladies and the Detectives then walking back to the Atrium where it was dry as water continued to pour into the subway entrance at 53rd and 3rd avenue from the extremely heavy rain above before Tracy went with Ed to see Cyane's parents to inform them of what happened, while Joe went upstairs with Kelly as she went through exactly what happened with him.

"How did this happen?", asked a shocked Steve upon hearing from Tracy what happened to Cyane.

"I have no idea. All I know is my assistant happened to be across the street talking with me on her cell phone when she saw who she didn't know at that point was Cyane running and someone shooting her twice in the back", replied Tracy to Steve, who was there along with his wife, Jenine, who was trying to hold back tears.

"Would you know of anyone who'd want to harm your daughter?", asked Ed to Steve and Jenine, with Jenine then going to call Steve's father to let him know what happened to Cyane.

"Not that I know of", replied Steve, who after pausing briefly added, "I do know sometimes she heads out to near Belmont Park a lot, as I know she has people who work there she's friends with. Otherwise, I have no idea of who would want to harm her."

"Do you know why she'd be where she was when she was shot?", then asked Ed.

"Sure. She worked on Saturdays at Bradford & Bradford on 52nd and Lexington during the school year and full-time in the summer. She wanted to be a lawyer just like my father and I. I would guess given the time she was shot, she was either going to lunch or running an errand", then said Steve.

"In this weather?", then asked Ed.

"Sure. They're often on very tight deadlines, even on Saturdays. They might have had a client who needed something that day that was highly confidential, and even a blizzard can't stop them", then said Steve.

"That's right, I've seen Cyane many times in the DA's Office", then said Tracy to Steve before saying to Ed, "A lot of us who've been there a long time remember her grandfather very well."

"I don't mean to be rude, but can we go see her body?", asked Steve, with everyone then headed for the Morgue where they are joined by former DA Alfred Wentworth and current DA Arthur Branch.

"I can't believe she's gone", said Alfred to all as they witnessed the body from a window while M.E. Rogers came out to explain that Cyane's death actually occured when she fell down the steps of the subway entrance, having fallen face first.

"She was still alive before she fell into the subway. Whoever did this knew shooting her where it happened, she'd either die from the wounds immediately or cause her to stagger and fall down the steps where she would be killed", said Rogers to the group.

"Figures. Kelly said she was running when she was shot", said Ed.

"Kelly?", asked Arthur.

"Yes", then said Tracy, who then paused briefly before continuing, "She was on her cell phone with me, saing how bad it was outside when she happened to see who she didn't yet know was Cyane running with whoever it was that shot her then doing so."

"Wow! That's had to be horrible for her", then said Arthur to Tracy, then asking her if Kelly was OK, wth Tracy responding "She's fine. When we left, she was helping Det. Green's partner go through what happened from what she saw."

"That's good", replied Arthur.

"Hopefully, they'll find some other people. I know it's horrible out, but someone else I'm sure had to see something", said Alfred.

"I'm hoping so", then said Ed.

Meanwhile, Van Buren had joined Joe at the crime scene, with after finishing with Kelly and talking with others there heading for the firm of Bradford & Bradford to talk with her co-workers, many of whom were shocked upon hearing the news.

"What a shock. She was an incredibly bright girl. Probably would have been a lot like her father on the path she was on", said Nick Bradford, son of the founder of the firm and Cyane's immediate boss.

"You must have really liked her as a person", replied Anita.

"We all did. I wish we could've already had her full-time, but I know how important her education was", then replied Nick, having to pause at that point briefly as emotion was starting to overcome before continuing, "Why did it have to happen to someone so young?"

"I know it's hard, but have there been any problems she had that you know of?", then asked Joe.

"Excuse me, are you talking about Ms. Wentworth?", then said a 20-ish woman named Sherrie Collins who had overheard Joe ask the question as she was walking by Nick's office.

"Yes", said Joe, who introduced himself and Anita to Sherrie, who in turn then continued, "Maybe it's nothing, but I remembered seeing this woman who would on a couple of nights just stand there like she was waiting for someone, but then I remember she gave her a very nasty look the when I walked with Cyane a couple of weeks ago past her.

"What did she look like?", asked Joe.

"She had shoulder-length blondish brown hair and I would guess would be about 5' 10" and around 150-160 pounds", then said Sherrie.

"And she hung around the building often?", asked Anita.

"Only in the evening, but she usually looked like she was waiting for someone to pick her up to go out", then said Sherrie, who paused and then added, "She looked like the wife of that trainer who ran the filly two weeks ago against the boys."

"So you follow Horse Racing?", then asked Joe.

"Yes. Since I was little. In fact, Cyane and I had a rare Saturday off and we at Aqueduct, watching the simulcast of that race. Come to think of it, there was some woman at Aqueduct, dressed more for a like a day when you had a horse in a big race that also looked like...", said Sherrie

"And?", asked Joe.

"Oh My God!", then yelled Sherrie, who then paused before continuing in a still-slightly loud, but much lower voice, "I just realized that's Brianne O'Connor!"

"Who?", asked Anita.

"Wife of Patrick O'Connor", then said Joe, who then continued by saying, "Mr. O'Connor is the trainer of (place horse's name here), that filly who ran two weeks ago in the race Ms. Collins was talking about, with the race actually happening in Florida, but not at Gulfstream. The horse made a move on the turn, but faded to sixth. It seemed like she simply didn't want to face males, however, it was discovered after the race that the horse actually had been taken from her base at one of the training centers not too far from Gulfstream to a facility between there and the track in Tampa because she had bled in a workout that few realized the Saturday before the race."

"Interesting, but wouldn't Mrs. O'Connor want to be in Florida with her husband?", asked Anita.

"Mrs. O'Connor was probably back here getting some of the horses settled, plus I believe that day Mr. O'Connor had a horse running here in a stakes event, and she often is here if he's out-of-town. The main part of the Gulfstream Park season in Florida is over, and many trainers based there either return here or head to Kentucky for the meets at Keeneland and Churchill Downs", then said Joe.

"That would make sense", then said Anita, who then asked Sherrie what she had to possibly do with this case.

"Maybe nothing, but she sure looks like the woman who often waited down here, like she wanted to help her husband and still want her Saturday nights out", then said Sherrie, who then paused and said, "Come to think of it, I remember Cyane having to deliver some documents to Belmont last week concerning a lawsuit one of our attorneys is doing pro-bono against the owner of that filly that was filed by someone who bet the filly in the race down south. She looked very eager to do it, saying she had a friend near Belmont she wanted to see anyway."

"I don't follow. I thought Aqueduct is open now", then said Anita.

"It is, but many of the horses who race in New York are actually stabled at Belmont Park year-round. They have a training track that's in use all year", then said Joe.

"Oh", then said Anita.

"Anyway, she seemed a little more eager than I would have expected to go all the way out there to say the least", then said Sherrie.

After that, while Anita stays behind to talk with others who worked at Bradford & Bradford along with uniformed officers, Joe and Ed get back together and head to Belmont Park where Patrick keeps his stable. While neither were there, a couple of hands noted that Brianne had been there, but left about 10:15 that morning, saying "she had to head into the city to do something", as one put it.

Once Joe and Ed heard that, they were thinking that it was possible the woman they saw outside the office building they worked at and Brianne O'Connor were one and the same. That led Joe and Ed to then ask the stable help if they had seen Cyane around, showing her picture, but not mentioning her by name.

"She's been here a few times, actually, most recently last Friday night when she handed Mr. O'Connor some papers concerning some legal papers. I don't know exactly what they were about, but I assume they were of the lawsuit. I will admit, she seemed to be very friendly with Mr. O'Connor afterwards", said a hot walker named Sean Bryant.

"What do you mean by 'very friendly?'", asked Joe, with Sean replying, "As in like they knew each other, and she was dressed like she was doing it on her way to a night out after she dropped off the papers.

"And that was?", asked Joe, with Sean replying, "Very short skirt, with a light jacket and collared shirt so at least she looked somewhat professional I think, but she was wearing very spiky slingbacks you usually only see women wear around here on a real big race day, and then only if the weather is real nice."

"How do you know that's what she was wearing?", asked Ed in a very friendly tone.

"How can I forget, especially since she actually had one of them come off when she was handing him the papers and another hand had to hose down her legs after she stepped in some mud, though thankfully for her she didn't fall. They did seem rather cozy", said Sean, who was overheard by another stablehand named Tana Collins (no relation to Sherrie) to whom Joe and Ed introduced themselves.

"Is this about the girl who was shot to death in Manhattan today?", asked Tana.

"Yes?", said Joe, with Tana then responding, "Poor girl. I overheard Sean talking about what happened last Friday. It actually was a bit comical what happened, only because she didn't break anything. On her way out of the stable, she had gotten the heel of her shoe stuck in some grass that was very soft, had it come off and wound up having her foot land hard in some mud. Had she not been wearing such a tiny skirt, it would have almost certainly ruined it. Mr. O'Connor had to grab a hose and wash that down, which if it were summer would have been no big deal, but it was damp and raw last Friday night, quite a bit colder than today. She certainly was not exactly dressed for the weather."

"That girl? She was dressed like she was going to some club on the Island. Shame she's gone, though", said Brianne O'Connor as she walked in and introduced herself to the Detectives along with her husband Patrick.

"I assume you were here Mrs. O'Connor when she was last week?", asked Ed.

"Yes, and I saw the whole thing when she got stuck in the mud last week. She was lucky she didn't break her ankles then, though saying that, it's sad to think if she had she'd be still alive", replied Brianne, with Joe and Ed sensing a bit of hate in Brianne's voice as she said it. They didn't talk to Patrick at all before heading back for their car.

On the way to their car, a security guard came over to Joe and Ed out of range of Brianne and Patrick.

"I overheard you two talking to the O'Connors about what happened last week", said the guard, who identified himself as Leonard Carson, whom after the Detectives identified themself continued, "That was something that the girl who was in the mud would be dead a week later. She actually had been by here a couple of other times to see Mr. O'Connor, and last week, Mrs. O'Connor was giving the woman some very nasty looks when the girl wasn't looking. After she left, she really let Mr. O'Connor have it, and it wasn't the first time. That woman seems to be perpetually nasty to her husband."

"Interesting. You seem like you've been here a while. Has she always been like this?", asked Joe.

"Pretty much, though not as bad since they married three years ago", said Leonard.

"Since they married?", asked Joe.

"Yes. She's actually been his top assistant for about five years now, and she came here with Mr. O'Connor when he first started stabling here eight years ago. I didn't even know they were a couple until they got engaged shortly after 9/11", then said Leonard, pausing briefly before continuing, "He seems to be the one person who can calm her down. She's a real pain at times."

Joe and Ed were then finished with the guard and headed for the 2-7, where waiting for them to their surprise was Alexandra Borgia.

(continued in part two)


	2. Borgia is a witness

(continued from part one) 

Title: "Old Friends II" (NOT a sequel to the final episode of the 1993-'94 season)

Disclaimer: See Part One.

"Lexi?", asked Joe, as he and Ed were stunned to see her.

"Surprised, aren't you, especially since I'm soaked", then said Alexandra in a sarcastic tone, while trying to shake off the excess rain from her raincoat and wellies (fur-lined rainboots), which she was wearing with a heavy, turtleneck sweater and slightly above the knee denim skirt made from an old pair of jeans.

"What brings you here in such ungodful weather?", then asked Ed.

"I heard what happened this afternoon with Kelly seeing the shooting, and that you were investigating", then said Alexandra.

"Yes, but we don't even have close to a suspect yet", then said Ed.

"I figured, but I'm not here as an ADA. I'm here because although I didn't see the actual shooting, when I heard who was the victim and saw a photo, I realized I may have seen some of what happened leading up to it even if I didn't realize it at the time", then said Alexandra.

"And how was that?", then asked Joe.

"I was walking down Lexington, heading for the subway entrance at 53rd after interviewing a witness for a trial that starts on Tuesday. While doing so, I saw what I think was the victim turn the corner at 53rd across from where I was, followed by someone who was a lot bigger", then said Alexandra.

"How much bigger?", then asked Ed.

"About 5' 10", 160 I'd guess. Anyway, I was figuring at that point they were trying to also get out of the rain as it was really coming down. I remembered hearing something, but at that point I assumed it was thunder, and I was running to get to the subway entrance, actually falling when I got to the bottom and landing awkwardly on my ankle, lucky not to break or even sprain it, which I probably would have if I had not been wearing these", then said Alexandra, pulling off the boot on her left foot to show the Detectives that and then a small, black bruise where she landed on her ankle in the fall, noting afterwards, "Don't worry, I'm fine and not in any pain", then while putting the boot back on "It wasn't until I got back to the DA's Office, heard everything that happened and saw the photo of the victim that I realized I may have seen...", with her voice trailing off at the end.

"What is is?", asked Joe.

"The shooter was wearing a hooded windbreaker?", then asked Alexandra.

"That's what was reported", then said Joe.

"Can a sketch artist come down?", asked Alexandra, who then added "I may have some idea of who it might be, but it would help in this case."

Alexandra and the Detectives waited while a sketch artist came down as there were no further leads at that point. While waiting, another woman who was soaked came into the 2-7 and was directed to Joe and Ed.

The woman identified herself as Susan Cotrell, who notes she was in the area as well when the shots were fired.

"Whoever it was nearly barrled over me this afternoon about that point. I remember the windbreaker very well, which was dark green and she was wearing it with pants that I think went with it, like a warmup suit. She seemed to be running a little slow, but I remembered also having to dart out of the way because she seemed to be wearing very chunky sandals that would have squished my foot if it had been stepped on", said Susan

"Come to think of it, I remember the pants too", then said Alexandra to Susan, then saying to the Detectives, "They were like midnight green, and whoever it was wore that I assumed because of the rain. I also noticed the pants only went a little below the knee, and she was running like she was wearing very chunky shoes."

After a brief pause, Susan then said to the Detectives, "Now I remeber seeing what might have been whoever did this earlier. About 45 minutes before this happened, I remember seeing what might have been the same person in the windbreaker and pants, and she was wearing very chunky sandals. She also had hair that seemed to be going from dark to blonde, with it in a ponytail."

After Alexandra and Susan completed their decriptions to a sketch artist, Joe, Ed and Alexandra all realize that was Brianne O'Connor, and with that Joe and Ed went back to Bradford & Bradford, showing several there the sketch with all of them confirming that it was in fact Brianne. Brianne is then arrested a short while later, with at a Monday morning arraigment handled by Erica Alden, Brianne is held without bail. Jack was watching the proceedings since this was the first time he had ever had Erica as a second chair, a decision Arthur made as this was the former DA's granddaughter who was murdered and that neither Alexandra nor Kelly could do that because both are witnesses, nor could Susanne Gorton, who before Alexandra had been an interim assistant for Jack because she was now the #2 prosecutor in the Homicide buerau (after Tracy) and she had a major trial of her own to prepare for as lead. Jack also had been familiar with Erica as she had been successful as lead prosector on the trial of Richard DiCarlo, Jr. and III for the murder of Mary Kay Van Horn about a year earlier.

Jack does get a surprise when walking into his office was none other than Catherine Holland-McCoy, the first assistant Jack had when he began being a lead prosecutor on a full-time basis in 1981. Jack was even more surprised because she had moved back to where she grew up in San Francisco a few years after they divorced.

"God, how long has it been since I first became your assistant?", asked Catherine to her ex-husband.

"24 years", replied Jack.

"Huh?", asked Erica as she had walked into Jack's office almost right behind Catherine.

"You must be Jack's new assistant", said Catherine to Erica as she introduced herself.

"Actually, I'm just 'second chair' on this case because his regular assistant is a witness", said Erica.

"Oh, I forgot that", then said Catherine.

"She was my first assistant and later my wife and mother of my daughter", then said Jack.

"That's all true. I was the 'pretty young thing' here back in '81 when I came straight out of law school. Jack taught me a lot about being a prosecutor, and it went well beyond that to our marrying a couple of years later when I became pregnant. I admit, it's spooky that our own daughter is around the age of the victim", then said Catherine, who then noted that they divorced in 1987 after four years of marriage, when Diana Hawthorne was Jack's assistant but before they started a relationship, then getting on to the case, "As for why I'm representing Brianne, you forgot I've been friends with her sister Diane for years. She called me and asked I represent her. We are changing our plea to not guilty by reason of emotional distress."

"What emotional distress would your client have Catherine?", asked Jack.

"Try the fact that Mr. O'Connor was having an affair with Ms. Wentworth", then said Catherine.

"What?", shouted Erica.

"You heard me", said Catherine.

"That's no reason to kill her", then said Jack.

"Save it for court", then said Catherine, who handed Jack a notice of the change of plea.

As Erica walked out, Jack asked Catherine how their daughter Corilynne was handling it, with Cathering responding, "She realizes we have our jobs and knows I was asked to represent Brianne at the request of her older sister Diane."

Brianne would then see Elizabeth Olivet while at Rikers, which would go along the lines of her thinking as his wife she could change him, but his "wanting his cake and eating it too", also saying she was planning to file for a divorce even before this happened.

"Especially after 9/11 when he lost an aunt, I thought he had changed somewhat. I admit, I'm not the nicest person to be around at times, but Patrick it seems wanted me and wanted his other women", said Brianne.

"Then Ms. Wentworth was the final straw?", asked Elizabeth.

"She wouldn't have been, except Patrick seemed to get all gaga when she was around. The final straw came when I caught them 'making out' in a barn a few nights before she was killed. She drove me to this, and Cyane deserves to be shown for the slut she was", then said Brianne.

With that, Elizabeth noted to Jack, Erica and Arthur about Brianne catching her husband redhanded with the victim, with Jack saying "It still doesn't give her the right to kill Ms. Wentworth."

"Of course, but it does bring up a defense. Plus, she said Ms. Wentworth deserved to be shown for the slut she was in her mind, and I suspect she will bring that up in court", then said Elizabeth.

"That certainly would not look good for The Wentworths if she did that", said Arthur, saying he would talk to The Wentworths, while Erica in her investigation discovered that Patrick was seeing Cyane on the side.

Arthur would talk with Alfred, Steve and Jenine Wentworth, explaining the situation.

"Mrs. O'Connor is threatening to testify in court that she was driven to what she did with Cyane because her husband was cheating on her with Cyane", said Arthur.

"That can't be, my daughter having a relationship with a married man?", said Steve.

"According to our investigators, that apparently is true. It appears they kept it a secret for about a year, and that was why she made the trips out near Belmont Park", said Arthur.

Steve, Jenine and Alfred all paused for a moment, realizing that since this was true, that Brianne could wind up getting off on her defense. They ask Arthur to have Jack make a deal with Brianne if at all possible.

"No way am I making a deal! That slut deserved her fate, and I don't care if I rot in jail or even die. My soon-to-be ex-husband is going to have to live with the fact that he effectly caused Cyane Wentworth's death, and I want my day in court!", emphatically said Brianne to Jack and Erica in the presence of Catherine at Rikers.

With nothing Jack, Erica or Catherine could do, they headed to court with Jack in the uncomfortable position of knowing his ex-wife was now being forced to defend Brianne in a way she had hoped not to, deciding he had no choice but to pull out as lead prosecutor. Arthur understood the situation and allowed Jack to pull out even though it left the case with Erica now prosecuting solo because of every other potential first or second chair in a position to come in late not able to due to other trials they were handing or being a witness or potential witness in this case.

The trial itself had first Kelly testifying to what she had seen, while Tracy testified to having talked on the phone with Kelly as the shooting happened and having seen the body after coming up to the scene of the crime to comfort Kelly. Alexandra then testified to what she had seen as did others, while on the defense Catherine had others testify that they had seen Patrick and Cyane together at various spots in Manhattan, Queens and Long Island before Brianne testified that she caught Patrick and Cyane making out in a barn. In the end, Brianne's testimony laid much more heavily on the jurors than anyone could have expected, and after six days of deliberations, it ended in a hung jury, only 8-4 in favor of convicting.

The Wentworths knew was was coming, and knowing the circumstances where Jack was forced to pull out after being unable to make a deal due to his ex-wife being the defense attorney, they wanted Brianne re-tried for Cyane's murder, especially since Cyane's name was dragged through the mud by Brianne. With Arthur knowing the importance and under pressure for a second trial from the Attorney General as well as The Wentworths, he asks Elizabeth Donnelly to lead the second trial with Erica as second chair, as she was now available where she was not originally. Erica didn't see it as a failure because she knew she was forced to be lead prosecutor of the original trial at the very last minute. The second trial would again end in a hung jury, but this time it was 11-1 in favor of convicting Brianne.

After the second trial, Brianne again refuses a deal.

"I'm not going to be spending the rest of my life in jail unless I'm actually convicted, and so far, you're 0-for-2", said Brianne to Donnelly and Erica at Rikers with Catherine present again.

Upon hearing what happened, Jack could not believe that Brianne was that stubborn, and he knew the only reason Catherine was not quitting was because the firm Catherine was working for was doing this case pro-bono because Brianne's soon-to-be-ex-husband trained a pair of very promising two year olds for the firm's top lawyer, and Patrick is known for developing two year olds into serious Derby contenders.

Still under pressure, Brianne is tried for a third time on the murder of Cyane Wentworth, with Erica back to sole prosecutor as Donnelly was unavailable due to planned time off for surgery which had already been delayed by the second trial that could not be delayed further. The third time around finally got a conviction, a Brianne was found guilty of second degree murder and sentenced to 25-life. The scene after the third trial where Brianne was finally convicted was a major sign of relief for The Wentworths, Arthur, Jack, Erica, Tracy, Kelly, Alexandra and many others, as they were relieved this was finally over. The Wentworths would thank both Arthur and Erica for hanging in there through three trials, as well as to Elizabeth for delaying surgery on her knee in order to attempt to get a conviction at the second trial.

The final scene has Jack in his office when Catherine walks in, with Jack surprised by what she was wearing.

"Is that the dress I bought you when you first were my assistant?", asked Jack.

"Yes, it still fits all these years later", replied Catherine, referring to a white, open-collared, full-skirted shirtdress with black buttons that Jack bought her in 1981, which she was wearing with a black turtleneck underneath and a pair of western boots that were very worn down at the tips. After pausing for a moment, Catherine then said to Jack, "And these are the same boots I used to wear with this dress 24 years ago."

"Wow! I can't believe you'd keep clothes that long", was Jack's reaction.

"Just took good care of them, and I've had the soles replaced on the boots three times as I want to keep them as long as I can", then said Catherine.

"What made you decide to pull those out?", asked Jack as Catherine had slowly walked over to the couch in Jack's office.

"Thinking about the fact that before this whole run of trials, I had not been in this office since we divorced. Since I'm probably not going to see much of you for a while, I thought it'd be fun to pull these out", then said Catherine, who once Jack walked over handed him a camera and then said, "Corilynne wanted me to wear this and have a picture of us together in here. I actually gave this dress to her a few years ago, but she knew you bought it for me originally and since I'm here, she thought it'd be nice for us to do", as Arthur then walked in, agreeing to take a picture of them together before he walked out, realizing whatever he needed to talk to Jack about could wait.

"Something else had to bring you here", then said Jack to Catherine once Arthur left, with Cathering laughing a bit when he said that before she replied, "Yes. The fact that we wound up going through three trials."

"You were just doing your job. It was a tough spot, but you did everything you were supposed to do. I only pulled out because I knew I couldn't wholeheartedly prosecute, and was concerned about a conflict-of-interest", then said Jack.

"Yes, but I don't think any of us expected three trials", then said Catherine.

"But you know why there were", then said Jack.

"Of course", replied Catherine.

With that, Jack helped Catherine up from the couch knowing she was on the brink of exhaustion as the three trials had taken a lot out of her, with Catherine then saying, "I'm going to take the rest of the year off, as I have a lot of vacation time I never used with these trials, and I'm going to need that to recover."

"And you look like it too", then said Jack, with Catherine then slowly walking out, with Jack offering to walk with her but her saying it wasn't necessary, though Jack would watch her walk to the elevator to make sure she was all right, thinking about how much he missed being around his ex-wife.

THE END


End file.
